Mick Fleetwood's Island Rumours Band is a unique and artistic contribution to his continuing musical journey. The outcome is an eclectic blend of blues, rock and Hawaiiana.  A master of musical reincarnation, the founder of the iconic group Fleetwood Mac has ridden at the zenith of the music world for over forty years, adapting his music to the times and his own personal journeys.   With roots in blues, Fleetwood easily transitioned to rock and along the way, incorporated numerous forms of music through personal interest and collaboration.  In Mick Fleetwood's Island Rumours Band, Fleetwood seamlessly merges the sentiments and vibe of 40 years of familiar Fleetwood Mac music with the heart and soul of some of the best Native Hawaiian songs as well as some of the top performing artists on the Hawaiian scene today.

Fleetwood has had a home in Hawaii for years but in 2006 made Maui his full time, personal residence, along with his wife and their two daughters.  "Living on Maui, being totally exposed to the culture and now really being part of it, I found myself putting something musical together that celebrates the Hawaiian culture and resonates from the islands,” Fleetwood said. “I just kept going to see players and bands and events on the Islands and out of that found a number of exceptional players I knew I had to work with." 

The band is comprised of Willie K. and Eric Gilliom of the longstanding island favorites Barefoot Natives, Lopaka Colon from Henry Kapono’s Wild Hawaiian project, renowned Island bassist Lenny Castellanos, Molokai’s Hoku-Award-winning singer Raiatea Helm, vocalist Gretchen Rhodes, former Fleetwood Mac member Rick Vito and Mick.

While the musical fare of Mick Fleetwood's Island Rumours Band is constantly evolving, performances feature an artful "ebb and flow" between Fleetwood Mac songs and Hawaiian favorites.  Sets feature early Mac classics like “Black Magic Woman,” “Oh Well” and “Albatross”, as well as later and current Fleetwood Mac hits such as “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)” “World Turning” “Dreams” “Rhiannon” and “Songbird.” Interspersed among the rock and blues are Native Hawaiian songs such as “Indigenous Nations,” “Back to Honopo" and “Lei Lokalani.”  Then there's the "fusion" with "Native Hawaiian going Rock and Rock influenced by Native Hawaiian".

When Fleetwood is not touring with Fleetwood Mac, he historically gravitates to other musical outlets. Fleetwood's first real foray into a multi-cultural and deeply-authentic form of artistic blending took shape with his critically acclaimed “Visitor” project in 1981 where he traveled to Ghana to record with African musicians.  This cultural interconnection and experimentation planted the seeds for future blended projects, culminating with the formation in 2007 of the Island Rumours Band.

An anchor for Fleetwood in Island Rumours is legendary guitarist and singer Rick Vito, who counts performing with John Mayall, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Todd Rundgren, and Fleetwood Mac among his favorites.  “IR is a kind of fantasy gig come to life for me.  It’s an opportunity for me to reunite with my absolute favorite drummer in the world – and to synthesize some of my favorite styles of music.  That being traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music, blues and rock.”

Willie K. and Eric Gilliom were initially unsure of the concept of fusing classic Fleetwood Mac with Hawaiian music.  “We weren’t quite sure how as the Barefoot Natives we would fit in, but it feels good,” says Gilliom.  Bassist Lenny Castellanos weighs in with, “It’s been an absolute dream!” and front-woman Raiatea Helm says, “It’s hard to believe.  Totally different from what I do (solo). It’s intense and fresh.”

"I've got an old mojo bag I've kept with me for years," says Fleetwood. "Occasionally I add trinkets and treasures that each have important meaning but have no direct connection to each other outside of being brought together in my mojo bag.  It's a lot like Island Rumours.  We're connected, but we're individual.  We're brought together and the mojo sort of just happens.  If we can merge our music and lives and morph into something that respects and shares the cultural greatness of Hawaii with the blues and rock from my career, then Island Rumours succeeds, and I believe we have."

Mick Fleetwood's Island Rumours Band is co-managed by Jonathan Todd of Sabre Entertainment and Carl Stubner of Sanctuary Management.

To see a video of Mick Fleetwood's Island Rumours Band go to:  www.IslandRumours.com/irbvid1contact.html